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Monday, November 19, 2012

Why I can’t pay tribute to Thackeray--Markandey Katju

His bhumiputra theory flies in the face of our Constitution and works against the unity needed to ensure development

Muppadhu kodi mugamudayal

Enil maipuram ondrudayal

Ival Seppumozhi padhinetudayal

Enil Sindhanai ondrudayal

(This Bharatmata has 30 crore faces

But her body is one

She speaks 18 languages

But her thought is one)

Tamil poet Subramania Bharathi

Bhedad gana vinauyanti bhinnah supajapah paraih

Tasmat samghatayogesu prayateran ganah sada

(Republics have been destroyed because of internal divisions among the people;

Hence a republic should always strive to achieve unity and good relations among the people)

Mahabharat, Shanti Parva, chapter 108, shloka 14

Tesam anyonyabhinnanam svauaktim anutisthatam

Nigrahah panditaih karyah ksipram eva pradhanatah

(Therefore the wise authorities should crush the separatist forces trying to assert their strength)

Mahabharat, Shanti Parva, 108:26

Political
leaders, film stars, cricketers, etc. are all falling over one another
to pay tribute to the late Bal Thackeray. Amidst this plethora of
accolades and plaudits pouring in from the high and mighty, I humbly
wish to register my vote of dissent.

I know of the maxim De mortuis nil nisi bonum
(of the dead speak only good), but I regret I cannot, since I regard
the interest of my country above observance of civil proprieties.

What is Bal Thackeray’s legacy?

It is the anti-national ‘sons of the soil’ (bhumiputra) theory.

Article 1(1) of the Indian Constitution states: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”

Thus, India is not a confederation but a union.

Article 19 (1) (e) states: “All citizens shall have the right — to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India.”

Thus,
it is a fundamental right of a Gujarati, south Indian, Bihari, U.P.ite,
or person from any other part of India to migrate to Maharashtra and
settle down there, just as it is of Maharashtrians to settle down in any
part of India (though there are some restrictions in J&K, and some
North-East States, due to historical reasons).

The bhumiputra
theory states that Maharashtra essentially belongs to Marathi people,
while Gujaratis, south Indians, north Indians, etc. are outsiders. This
is in the teeth of Articles 1(1) and 19(1)(e) of the Constitution. India
is one nation, and hence non-Maharashtrians cannot be treated as
outsiders in Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena created by
Thackeray attacked south Indians in the 1960s and 70s, and vandalised
their restaurants and homes. In 2008, Biharis and U.P.ites living in
Mumbai (the bhaiyyas who eke out a livelihood as milk and
newspaper vendors, taxi drivers etc.) were described as infiltrators and
attacked, their taxis smashed, and several beaten up. Muslims were also
vilified

This, of course, created a vote bank for
Thackeray based on hatred (as had Hitler, of whom Thackeray was an
admirer), and how does it matter if the country breaks up and is
Balkanised?

Apart from the objection to the ‘sons of
the soil’ theory for being anti-national and unconstitutional, there is
an even more basic objection, which may rebound on Thackeray’s own
people.

India is broadly a country of immigrants
(like North America) and 92-93 per cent of the people living in India
today are not the original inhabitants but descendants of immigrants who
came mainly from the north-west seeking a comfortable life in the
sub-continent (see the article ‘What is India?’ on my blog
justicekatju.blogspot.in and the video on the website kgfindia.com ).

The original inhabitants (the real bhumiputra)
of India are the pre-Dravidian tribals, known as Adivasis (the Bhils,
Gonds, Santhals, Todas, etc.) who are only 7-8 per cent of our
population today.

Hence if the bhumiputra
theory is seriously implemented, 92-93 per cent of Maharashtrians
(including, perhaps, the Thackeray family) may have to be regarded as
outsiders and treated accordingly. The only real bhumiputra in Maharashtra are the Bhils and other tribals, who are only 7-8 per cent of the population of Maharashtra.

Several separatist and fissiparous forces are at work in India today (including the bhumiputra theory). All patriotic people must combat these forces.

Why
must we remain united? We must remain united because only a massive
modern industry can generate the huge wealth we require for the welfare
of our people — agriculture alone cannot do this — and modern industry
requires a huge market. Only a united India can provide the huge market
for the modern industry we must create to abolish poverty, unemployment
and other social evils, and to provide for the huge health care and
modern education systems we must set up if we wish to come to the front
ranks of the most advanced countries.